Insight Shapes News

• #5 How Much Is the Fish? How Undercurrent News Turned Niche Coverage in Seafood Into a High-Retention B2B Subscription Business. Tom Seaman at Undercurrent News

  How do you turn a niche publication into a must-have industry platform?In this episode of Insight Shapes News by Kilkaya, host Nils Ove Håland Riise speaks with Tom Seaman, founder and editor-in-chief of Undercurrent News — a B2B media company covering the global seafood industry.With over 70% of its revenue coming from subscriptions. But the real story? Undercurrent went beyond content — building pricing platforms, trade data tools, and a product-led approach that drives value and retention.🎧 Topics we cover:How Undercurrent grew a global audience in a specialized marketThe evolution from newsroom to data-driven publishing and combining itWhy B2B subscriptions are thriving (and how to sell them)Editorial and sales working together (yes, really)What it takes to build lasting value in niche mediaAnd yes — Tom answers the question: “How much is the fish?”If you work in digital publishing, subscriptions, product, B2B media, or newsroom innovation — this episode is packed with strategies, learnings, and a few laughs along the way.—🎧 Subscribe to Insight Shapes News for conversations on the future of journalism, product thinking, and the strategies shaping the news industry.Chapters:00:00 Trends and Challenges in the Global Seafood Market03:00 Building a Niche Media Powerhouse05:56 The Vision Behind Undercurrent News09:11 Understanding the Seafood Sector11:55 Balancing Coverage: Comprehensive vs. In-Depth15:08 The Shift to Subscription Revenue17:53 Sales Strategy and Customer Engagement21:07 The Importance of Data in Seafood Reporting24:02 Developing a Pricing Portal27:04 Challenges in Data Collection29:56 The Future of Seafood Data Services34:40 Navigating the Seafood Sector's Complexity39:23 The Art of Data-Driven Storytelling43:28 Editorial Decision-Making in Journalism49:36 Building a Global Journalism Team53:00 Hiring for Expertise vs. Talent58:16 Lessons from Building a Niche Media Company01:05:49 The Future of Journalism in an AI World#B2BMedia #NicheMedia #DigitalPublishing #Subscriptions #Journalism #SeafoodIndustry #MediaInnovation #AudienceStrategy #NewsroomTransformation

  --------  

  1:10:13
• #4 Unlocking Storytelling for News: How Publishers Can Escape CMS Limitations, Adapt to Modern Needs, and Bring Stories to Life. Tine Karlsen at Vev

  How can news publishers design better stories, faster — without being held back by rigid CMS systems?In this episode, we talk with Tine Karlsen, CEO and co-founder of Vev, about how storytelling, design, and creative freedom are being reshaped in the digital newsroom. From breaking out of static templates to embracing new formats like scrollytelling, Tine shares how publishers can rethink workflows and build for a mobile-first, attention-scarce world.Whether it’s investigative journalism or branded content, design isn’t just about how things look — it’s about how stories connect, build trust, and perform.In this conversation, we explore:Why traditional CMS systems are limiting creative storytellingThe power of design in building trust and engagementWhat publishers can learn from print — and apply to digitalHow modern teams are blending speed with storytelling qualityThe rise of scrollytelling and interactive news formatsThe role of AI in designing smarter, faster, and at scaleWhy storytelling still needs that human creative touchHosted by Nils Ove Håland Riise, this episode dives into the intersection of content, technology, and storytelling — and how publishers can equip their teams to do more with less, without compromising on quality or creativity.Key Takeaways:Rigid CMS templates limit innovation and storytelling formatsNo-code tools empower faster experimentation and better designGreat storytelling happens when tech, design, and editorial collaboratePublishers must adapt stories to the platform — not one-size-fits-allHuman creativity remains essential, even in an AI-powered futureCheck out Vev at:Website: https://www.vev.design/How to connect with Tine:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tine-karlsen-a33a8765/Chapters:00:00 The Importance of Design in Storytelling03:05 The Role of AI in Content Creation06:01 Understanding VEV and Its Impact on Media09:01 Balancing Speed and Quality in Publishing12:04 Adapting to Changing Reading Habits15:08 Innovative Storytelling Techniques: Scrollytelling17:55 The Intersection of Design and Social Media21:59 Multimedia Approaches in Journalism24:36 Challenges with Content Management Systems27:36 The Role of No-Code Platforms in Publishing32:09 The Evolution of Advertising and Content Marketing36:45 AI's Impact on Design and Content Creation38:28 The Role of Human Creativity in AI-Driven Projects39:22 AI as a Productivity Tool in Content Creation41:14 AI Features and Their Impact on Web Development43:08 The Importance of Human Touch in Design46:03 Future of Storytelling in News Publishing48:27 Best Practices for Publishers Using No-Code Solutions51:39 Collaborative Workflows in Content Creation52:15 Vision for the Future of Web Creation🔥 Don’t forget to like, comment, subscribe, and follow for more episodes on the future of news, storytelling, and media tech.🔍 Keywords:storytelling in journalism, CMS limitations, digital publishing, no-code design, visual storytelling, Vev, scrollytelling, newsroom innovation, branded content, AI in publishing, user experience, mobile-first storytelling, design and engagement, content strategy, modern publishing workflows, future of news, Tine Karlsen, media design, content creation tools

  --------  

  58:05
• #3 Too Many Documents, Too Little Time: How A Small Local Newspaper Saved 80% of Research Time with AI. Lars Giske at iTromsø (Polaris Media)

  How can a small Local Newsroom in Northern Norway take on one of Investigative journalism’s biggest challenges — and win?In this episode, we talk with Lars Adrian Giske, Head of AI at iTromsø, about how his team built Djinn — the Data Journalism Interface for News Gathering and Notification. This AI-powered tool is transforming how journalists work by surfacing the most newsworthy content from massive piles of public documents.From document overload to AI-powered discovery, Lars shares: The real problem behind FOIA delays and public archivesHow Djinn works to identify relevant stories in real timeWhy involving journalists from day one made all the differenceWhat happened when they scaled the tool across Polaris MediaHow AI is changing investigative journalism, ethics, and newsroom stressWhy the human element will always matter — even in an AI-driven futureHosted by Nils Ove Håland Riise, this conversation dives deep into the future of data-driven journalism, transparency in media, and the rise of AI in local newsrooms — with real-world results that are nothing short of amazing.Key Takeaways:Journalists face massive time waste from public document reviewAI can cut research time by up to 80%Localized AI models increase accuracyTrust, ethics, and collaboration matter more than everJournalists aren’t being replaced — they’re being empoweredThe human judgment behind every story is still irreplaceableChapters:00:00 – The Challenge of Document Overload06:05 – Introducing AI in Journalism12:02 – Building the DJINN Platform17:49 – Scaling DJINN Across Newsrooms23:56 – AI’s Role in Investigative Journalism30:13 – Impact on Storytelling and Transparency40:29 – The Role of AI in Journalism44:31 – Human Element in Journalism48:43 – Expanding AI Solutions in News52:07 – Human in the Loop: Balancing AI and Journalism56:55 – Short-Term Outlook on AI in Journalism01:01:26 – Future of AI Agents in News01:04:22 – Ethics and Technology in Journalism01:08:31 – Reflections on the Journey with AI01:14:35 – Navigating US Tech Influence on European JournalismAI in journalism, data-driven journalism, news gathering, investigative journalism, Djinn platform, iTromsø, local news innovation, transparency in media, machine learning, public documents, human element, ethical journalism, AI agents, media innovation, journalism challenges, data-driven news, future of journalism, newsroom AI🔥 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell for more episodes on AI, journalism, and the future of media.Where can you reach Lars Adrian Giske:Email: [email protected]: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lars-adrian-giske-8a277576/

  --------  

  1:20:29
• #2 Cracking the Subscription Code for News: How Delfi Meedia Reached 18% Household Penetration In A Country? Ivar Krustok at Delfi Meedia

  Most news publishers struggle to get even 1% of households to subscribe. Delfi Meedia in Estonia has done what few others have—reaching 18% digital subscription penetration, far ahead of industry benchmarks.Ivar Krustok is the Chief AI & Innovation Officer at Delfi Meedia, one of the most successful digital publishers in the Baltics. With a strong focus on innovation, Delfi has built a subscription model that outperforms other markets globally.In this conversation, Ivar and I discuss:Their success with digital subscriptionsHow bundling all content into one simple subscription changed everythingThe power of clear communication in breaking down silosWhy offering more content, not less, increases subscriber growthThe role of AI in shaping the future of media subscriptionsChapters00:00 Introduction to Estonia's Digital Landscape02:53 The Rise of Estonia as a Digital Powerhouse06:11 Ivar's Journey in Media and Technology11:48 Delfis Subscription Model Success23:49 Content Strategy and Audience Engagement30:03 Bundling Subscriptions for Greater Value36:07 Unexpected Content Success Stories38:57 Understanding Subscriber Growth and Engagement46:29 The Role of Data in Driving Content Strategy55:31 Navigating Subscriber Retention and Churn01:00:14 Leveraging AI for Enhanced Journalism01:08:18 Advice for Publishers on Subscription ModelsWhere can you reach Ivar Krustok:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivar-krustok-811bb478/

  --------  

  1:17:33
• #1 The User Needs Expert: Are You Creating Content Your Audience Actually Needs? Lars Jensen at Berlingske Media

  Are you creating content your audience actually needs? Lars K Jensen reveals the power of the User Needs Model in journalism and why understanding your audience is the key to engagement, trust, and business success.Lars is the Audience Lead at Berlingske Media and an expert in audience insights, newsroom transformation, and digital strategy. With years of experience in journalism and publishing, he has helped redefine how media organizations approach content by focusing on what their readers truly value.In this conversation, Lars and Nils discuss why newsroom culture is more important than strategy, how data quality impacts content decisions, and his experience implementing the user needs model at Berlingske Media. They also dive into the delicate balance between automation and human intuition in audience analytics, his previous life as a DJ, and what the future holds for user needs in Journalism and news.Chapters:00:00 Intro03:06 Why Lars Became Interested in User Needs05:59 The User Needs Model Explained08:52 How Newsrooms Can Implement Audience-First Journalism11:39 Why Culture, Not Just Strategy, Drives Change14:00 How Tagging and Data Insights Shape Journalism17:01 Engaging Journalists Without Overwhelming Them20:09 Measuring Success with Audience-Centric Metrics22:59 Why User Needs Bridge the Gap Between Business & Journalism25:39 Creating Internal Hype & Adoption for New Models28:30 How Data Quality & Tagging Define Reliable Insights38:22 The Role of Trust & Community in Modern Journalism41:13 The Balance of Automation & Human Judgment48:48 Demystifying User Needs & Making It Actionable59:34 The DJ Analogy: How Journalism Is Like Reading the Crowd01:06:07 The Future of Community Engagement in NewsFollow Lars Jensen:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larskjensen/Blog: https://productsinpublishing.com/Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/larskjensen.dk

  --------  

  1:19:23

Weitere Technologie Podcasts

Trending Technologie Podcasts

Über Insight Shapes News